Self-driving trucks aren't just for hauling beer anymore. Now they can also haul garbage.
Not to be outdone by the likes of Uber and Waymo, Volvo has now outlined one of its own autonomous vehicle projects in Sweden: a self-driving garbage truck.
Like Uber Freight, the project is another effort to extend self-driving technology beyond just shuttling people around in self-driving taxis.
There's still plenty of human interaction with the truck. After all, someone has to line up the garbage cans for the vehicle -- because you sure don't when you're rushing your trash out the door on your way to work.
What makes this project interesting is that the truck route can be programmed, since garbage pick-up is often on the same route. And the trucks would be more active in residential areas than self-driving taxis.
Like most self-driving projects, it's still years away from officially hitting the road full-time, but it's another noteworthy step in the ongoing evolution.
Topics Self-Driving Cars
